Plug connector with connector position assurance element and connector assembly including the same

Abstract

A connector assembly includes a socket connector, and a plug connector with connector position assurance element inserted into the socket connector. The plug connector with connector position assurance element includes an insulating body, a plurality of terminals, a plurality of cables and a connector position assurance element. The insulating body defines a plurality of terminal slots. The plurality of the terminals are assembled in the plurality of the terminal slots. Two opposite ends of each terminal have a connecting end and a fitting end. The connecting ends of the plurality of the terminals are connected to the plurality of the cables. The connector position assurance element is inserted to a top of the insulating body, and then a plug-in status between the plug connector with connector position assurance element, and the socket connector is maintained.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A plug connector with a connector position assurance element inserted into and cooperated with a socket connector, two sides of a surface of the socket connector being recessed inward to form two connecting spaces, the plug connector with connector position assurance element comprising:
 an insulating body, the insulating body defining a plurality of terminal slots longitudinally penetrating through the insulating body, two sides of an upper surface of the insulating body protruding upward to form two protruding blocks spaced from each other, two outer surfaces of the two protruding blocks oppositely protruding outward to form two positioning blocks, the upper surface of the insulating body protruding upward and then being bent rearward to form a buckling portion projecting into a gap between the two protruding blocks, the two protruding blocks and the buckling portion being spaced from the upper surface of the insulating body to form a positioning space among the two protruding blocks, the buckling portion and the upper surface of the insulating body; 
 a plurality of terminals assembled in the plurality of the terminal slots, two opposite ends of each terminal having a connecting end and a fitting end; 
 a plurality of cables, the connecting ends of the plurality of the terminals being connected to the plurality of the cables; and 
 a connector position assurance element inserted to a top of the insulating body, the connector position assurance element having a base portion, two sides of a front surface of the base portion protruding frontward to form two sliding portions, middles of the two sliding portions defining two sliding channels longitudinally extending and transversely penetrating through the middles of the two sliding portions, each sliding channel having a first positioning hole and a second positioning hole, a middle of the front surface of the base portion extending frontward to form an abutting block located between the two sliding portions, the abutting block being disposed corresponding to the positioning space, when the socket connector and the plug connector with connector position assurance element are disengaged, the two positioning blocks being positioned in the two first positioning holes of the two sliding portions, the abutting block being without entering the positioning space, when the plug connector with connector position assurance element is inserted into the socket connector, the connector position assurance element being pushed forward, the two first positioning holes of the two sliding portions breaking away from the two positioning blocks in advance, so the connector position assurance element being able to move frontward by virtue of two sliding channels of the two sliding portions passing frontward through the two positioning blocks, and the connector position assurance element being switched to buckle the two positioning blocks in the two second positioning holes of the two sliding portions, at the same time, the abutting block entering the positioning space and abutting upward against the buckling portion, so the positioning space being filled up to make the buckling portion have no way of being pressed down, front ends of the two sliding portions entering the two connecting spaces, and then a plug-in status between the plug connector with connector position assurance element, and the socket connector being maintained. 
 
     
     
       2. The plug connector with a connector position assurance element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the two outer surfaces of the two protruding blocks oppositely protrude outward to form two stopping blocks, the two stopping blocks are located in the two sliding channels of the two sliding portions. 
     
     
       3. The plug connector with a connector position assurance element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein two facing surfaces of the two protruding blocks are recessed oppositely to form two insertion grooves, two sides of a front surface of the abutting block further protrude frontward to form two insertion blocks, when the plug connector with connector position assurance element is inserted into the socket connector, the abutting block enters the positioning space, the two insertion blocks are inserted into the two insertion grooves. 
     
     
       4. The plug connector with a connector position assurance element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the terminal slots are arranged in an upper row and a lower row. 
     
     
       5. The plug connector with a connector position assurance element as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of the terminal slots are recessed inward to form a plurality of positioning slots, the plurality of the positioning slots are arranged in an upper row and a lower row, the upper row of the positioning slots connected with the upper row of the plurality of terminal slots are opposite to the lower row of the positioning slots connected with the lower row of the plurality of the terminal slots. 
     
     
       6. The plug connector with a connector position assurance element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the socket connector defines an insertion space penetrating through a rear surface of the socket connector, a middle of a top surface of buckling portion protrudes upward to form a buckling block, the buckling block is disposed corresponding to the buckling hole. 
     
     
       7. The plug connector with a connector position assurance element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a middle of each terminal has two clamping portions formed by crimping configurations. 
     
     
       8. The plug connector with a connector position assurance element as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the two clamping portions of each terminal are extendable along a lengthwise direction of each terminal to provide a larger contacting area between one cable and each terminal. 
     
     
       9. The plug connector with a connector position assurance element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each terminal has a first positioning portion punched upward from a top of a front end of the fitting end, in each terminal, the first positioning portion is extended and located between the connecting end and a rear end of the fitting end, a top of the rear end of the fitting end slantwise extends frontward and upward, and then extends frontward to form a second positioning portion, the second positioning portion is extended and located between the first positioning portion and the connecting end. 
     
     
       10. The plug connector with a connector position assurance element as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of the terminal slots are recessed inward to form a plurality of positioning slots, inner walls of the plurality of the positioning slots away from the plurality of the terminal slots protrude along an up-down direction to form a plurality of limiting blocks projecting into the plurality of the positioning slots, the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion of each terminal are arranged in one positioning slot, the first positioning portion of each terminal is blocked by a front end of the limiting block of the one positioning slot, and the second positioning portion is arranged away from and located behind the limiting block of the one positioning slot. 
     
     
       11. The plug connector with a connector position assurance element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in each sliding channel, a front end of each sliding channel expands outward to form the first positioning hole, a top and a bottom of a middle of each sliding channel expand outward to form the second positioning hole, and the second positioning hole is provided between the first positioning hole and the base portion. 
     
     
       12. A plug connector with a connector position assurance element inserted into and cooperated with a socket connector, at least one side of a surface of the socket connector being recessed inward to form at least one connecting space, the plug connector with connector position assurance element comprising:
 an insulating body, at least one side of an upper surface of the insulating body protruding upward to form at least one protruding block, an outer surface of the at least one protruding block protruding outward to form at least one positioning block, the upper surface of the insulating body protruding upward and then being bent rearward to form a buckling portion projecting to one side of the at least one protruding block, the at least one protruding block and the buckling portion being spaced from the upper surface of the insulating body to form a positioning space among the at least one protruding block, the buckling portion and the upper surface of the insulating body; 
 a plurality of terminals assembled in the insulating body; and 
 a connector position assurance element inserted to a top of the insulating body, the connector position assurance element having a base portion, at least one side of a front surface of the base portion protruding frontward to form at least one sliding portion, a middle of the at least one sliding portion defining at least one sliding channel longitudinally extending and transversely penetrating through the middle of the at least one sliding portion, a front end of the at least one sliding channel expanding outward to form at least one first positioning hole, a top and a bottom of a middle of the at least one sliding channel expanding outward to form at least one second positioning hole, a middle of the front surface of the base portion extending frontward to form an abutting block located adjacent to one side of the at least one sliding portion, the abutting block being disposed corresponding to the positioning space, when the socket connector and the plug connector with connector position assurance element are disengaged, the at least one positioning block being positioned in the at least one first positioning hole of the at least one sliding portion, the abutting block being without entering the positioning space, when the plug connector with connector position assurance element is inserted into the socket connector, the connector position assurance element being pushed forward, the at least one first positioning hole of the at least one sliding portion breaking away from the at least one positioning block in advance, so the connector position assurance element being able to move frontward by virtue of the at least one sliding channel of the at least one sliding portion passing frontward through the at least one positioning block, and the connector position assurance element being switched to buckle the at least one positioning block in the at least one second positioning hole of the at least one sliding portion, at the same time, the abutting block entering the positioning space and abutting upward against the buckling portion, so the positioning space being filled up to make the buckling portion have no way of being pressed down, a front end of the at least one sliding portion entering the at least one connecting space, and then a plug-in status between the plug connector with connector position assurance element, and the socket connector being maintained. 
 
     
     
       13. A connector assembly, comprising:
 a socket connector, two sides of an inner surface of a top wall of the socket connector being recessed inward to form two connecting spaces spaced from each other; and 
 a plug connector with connector position assurance element inserted into the socket connector, including:
 an insulating body, the insulating body defining a plurality of terminal slots longitudinally penetrating through the insulating body, two sides of an upper surface of the insulating body protruding upward to form two protruding blocks spaced from each other, two outer surfaces of the two protruding blocks oppositely protruding outward to form two positioning blocks, the upper surface of the insulating body protruding upward and then being bent rearward to form a buckling portion projecting into a gap between the two protruding blocks, the two protruding blocks and the buckling portion being spaced from the upper surface of the insulating body to form a positioning space among the two protruding blocks, the buckling portion and the upper surface of the insulating body; 
 a plurality of terminals assembled in the plurality of the terminal slots, two opposite ends of each terminal having a connecting end and a fitting end; 
 a plurality of cables, the connecting ends of the plurality of the terminals being connected to the plurality of the cables; and 
 a connector position assurance element inserted to a top of the insulating body, the connector position assurance element having a base portion, two sides of a front surface of the base portion protruding frontward to form two sliding portions, middles of the two sliding portions defining two sliding channels longitudinally extending and transversely penetrating through the middles of the two sliding portions, each sliding channel having a first positioning hole and a second positioning hole, a middle of the front surface of the base portion extending frontward to form an abutting block located between the two sliding portions, the abutting block being disposed corresponding to the positioning space, when the socket connector and the plug connector with connector position assurance element are disengaged, the two positioning blocks being positioned in the two first positioning holes of the two sliding portions, the abutting block being without entering the positioning space, when the plug connector with connector position assurance element is inserted into the socket connector, the connector position assurance element being pushed forward, the two first positioning holes of the two sliding portions breaking away from the two positioning blocks in advance, so the connector position assurance element being able to move frontward by virtue of two sliding channels of the two sliding portions passing frontward through the two positioning blocks, and the connector position assurance element being switched to buckle the two positioning blocks in the two second positioning holes of the two sliding portions, at the same time, the abutting block entering the positioning space and abutting upward against the buckling portion, so the positioning space being filled up to make the buckling portion have no way of being pressed down, front ends of the two sliding portions entering the two connecting spaces, and then a plug-in status between the plug connector with connector position assurance element, and the socket connector being maintained. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The connector assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein each terminal has a first positioning portion punched upward from a top of a front end of the fitting end, in each terminal, a top of a rear end of the fitting end slantwise extends frontward and upward, and then extends frontward to form a second positioning portion, the plurality of the terminal slots are recessed inward to form a plurality of positioning slots, inner walls of the plurality of the positioning slots away from the plurality of the terminal slots protrude along an up-down direction to form a plurality of limiting blocks projecting into the plurality of the positioning slots, the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion of each terminal are arranged in one positioning slot, the first positioning portion of each terminal is blocked by a front end of the limiting block of the one positioning slot, and the second positioning portion is arranged away from and located behind the limiting block of the one positioning slot. 
     
     
       15. The connector assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein in each sliding channel, the first positioning hole is provided at a front end of the sliding channel, and the second positioning hole is provided between the first positioning hole and the base portion. 
     
     
       16. The connector assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the two outer surfaces of the two protruding blocks oppositely protrude outward to form two stopping blocks, the two stopping blocks are located in the two sliding channels of the two sliding portions. 
     
     
       17. The connector assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein two facing surfaces of the two protruding blocks are recessed oppositely to form two insertion grooves, two sides of a front surface of the abutting block further protrude frontward to form two insertion blocks, when the plug connector with connector position assurance element is inserted into the socket connector, the abutting block enters the positioning space, the two insertion blocks are inserted into the two insertion grooves. 
     
     
       18. The connector assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of the terminal slots are arranged in an upper row and a lower row. 
     
     
       19. The connector assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of the terminal slots are recessed inward to form a plurality of positioning slots, the plurality of the positioning slots are arranged in an upper row and a lower row, the upper row of the positioning slots connected with the upper row of the plurality of terminal slots are opposite to the lower row of the positioning slots connected with the lower row of the plurality of the terminal slots. 
     
     
       20. The connector assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the socket connector defines an insertion space penetrating through a rear surface of the socket connector, a middle of a top surface of buckling portion protrudes upward to form a buckling block, the buckling block is disposed corresponding to the buckling hole.